In a shocking turn of events at WWE WrestleMania 40, Sami Zayn defeated Gunther to win the Intercontinental Championship and end Gunther’s historic 666-day reign as champion. Gunther had been the most dominant Intercontinental Champion in WWE history, spending nearly two years elevating the title to new heights. Despite arguments that Gunther had outgrown the midcard championship, he only needed a loss to reach the next level.
Gunther’s clean loss to Zayn was unexpected, given his status as a dominant heel in WWE. The former champion had been portrayed as an unstoppable force, having only been pinned once in the past two years, and never on the main roster. The Triple H regime realized the potential of Gunther and had plans to elevate him to the world title scene, recognizing his value as a top star on Monday nights.
While Gunther had restored the image of the Intercontinental Championship, the title still ranks below the world titles on Raw and SmackDown. Many top stars in WWE have been pursuing world titles, but Gunther had remained focused on defending his IC title with honor. With main event stars like Drew McIntyre and Seth Rollins possibly leaving WWE, Gunther’s importance to Raw increases as a potential top star.
Having already become the longest-reigning Intercontinental Champion in history, Gunther’s loss to Zayn at WrestleMania 40 proved that he was ready for bigger things. With the possibility of Cody Rhodes winning the Universal title and moving to SmackDown, Gunther could potentially become the most established top star on Monday nights. His loss opened up opportunities for fresh main eventers in WWE and showcased his willingness to take on new challenges in the world title scene.
